Sunagakure Mission
by Angle of Anime
Summary: Hinata is on a mission to check on Suna after the Akatsuki's attack. On her way there, she spots a certain rogue ninja and confronts him, only to be tied up by him. But why didn't he kill her yet? Can she escape and bring him to the village as planned?
1. Captured

Sunagakure Mission

_Angel of Anime_

**Chapter One: Captured**

"I have to go, Father. I have a mission today," Hyuuga Hinata informed her father after she finished baking breakfast.

"A mission, eh?" he responded, looking down at the petite fifteen year old with his hard lavender eyes. "All right; just make sure you don't burden your teammates." These days the man didn't give Hinata the credit she deserved, but he'd never really seen her in action, either.

Trying to hide the fact that that statement hurt, Hinata answered, "It's a solo mission, Father. I'll be going alone." She directed her gaze slightly more to the ground and pressed her index fingers together in a shy, nervous way.

"In that case, don't fail, or you'll be the only one to blame." His voice wasn't as firm as it once was, but it still sounded very solemn; Hyuuga Hiashi was not the most care-free man. Everyone who had met him at least one time knew that.

"Y-yes, Father," she nodded, picking up her bag and going out the door. Hinata was a timid person that needed encouragement. Even the slightest disheartenment would steal all the spirit she had worked up. The girl didn't see how strong and powerful she was, and very few people helped her to. That was why she admired Uzumaki Naruto so much. No matter what, he believed in her; or at least, he seemed to with all the cheering he always shouted towards her. Also, he never quit trying, even after the toughest of events.

When she reached the gateway out of the village, Hinata breathed a deep breath. Never had she been on a solo mission before, and she was rather tense about it. It was a simple task: to go to Sunagakure and see how they were all doing there. The Hidden Leaf was sort of friends with Sunagakure, and it had been a couple of weeks since Gaara had died (but was given life once more after the Elder Chiyo gave it to him with her own). They were worried that maybe the Akatsuki (a band of several _evil_ men who inflicted terrible things upon many undeserving people) had decided another attack against them, and so that brought Hinata's task to check on them.

_All right, Father, I won't let you or the village down._ She jumped into the nearest tree and made her way until dusk came. It was just two days starting tomorrow until she reached the village, if she was lucky enough to avoid any danger that might befall her.

Hinata didn't sleep in a tent that night. She figured out a few missions ago that it would be much easier to just sleep in her sleeping bag. More quickly she could arrive at her destination if she didn't have to carry the weight of a tent, or take the time to put it up and take it down. Of course, though, it only worked if the weather was clear and warm.

When the girl awoke the sun had barely risen and the sky was pink. She sensed someone's presence a couple of yards away. Whether they sensed hers or not, she had yet to find out.

As promptly as she could, Hinata stood and whispered, "Byakugan!" Her mouth opened a little as she saw the person's shape. Disbelief filled her body, her mind. _I-it couldn't be. Could it? _Hurriedly she grabbed her weapons pouch filled with kunai and other such weapons, ready to attack. But then, she remembered who he was and what everyone always said about him. It was always compliments, except from Naruto. They were, in a way, rivals. Instinct told her to run but Naruto told her to stay. An absurd fantasy spelled out into her head. _If you can capture him, _a low, gluttonous voice told her, _Naruto will surely open those dense eyes of his and love you!_

Hinata was certainly not foolish, obviously, and disagreed with the other voice that sounded not at all like hers. _Naruto wouldn't love me for that reason._

_How do you know? _The voice countered.

_I… I know._

_Hinata, stay and fight him. You'll be rewarded somehow. Your father's eyes will shine upon you and no longer your cousin Neji and your sister Hanabi. Naruto will be grateful to you and his gratitude could become something else, too. Lady Hokage will also be gracious towards you and many of the other villagers._ The tone this _thing_ was using was rather persuasive, but Hinata would not fall for such wretched tactics.

Hinata shook her head reluctantly. _It's dangerous, though. I don't care about any of that, either. He'll kill me if I get in his way._

The voice laughed wickedly. _Well, _it said, _you'd better make your decision now, because here he comes. By now he's probably already detected you…_

_O-oh no, _Hinata panicked. _I can see him now, and he sees me; it's too late to run!_

The boy halted in a tree and stared right at her. His hair was dark as well as his eyes, and his skin was a peachy color. He was almost six feet tall and wore a white long sleeved shirt which he kept open, and black pants with a thick purple twine tied around his waist.

Frozen with fear, Hinata's feet wouldn't move. Not knowing if the boy was going to kill her or not, she was somehow able to look him in the face.

Chidori cackled in his right hand, and Hinata knew he was ready to attack. _I have to be, too, _she thought, although she was unsure. _It's too late to run now; I'll have to counter his attacks as best I can. Oh, Naruto, lend me your strength, please!_

But as he rushed towards her with the jutsu, his black eyes gazed into her lavender ones and suddenly he was unable to move, paralyzed. There was something about her… something that he didn't know. But whatever it was, it made him feel like a weakling.

Wondering why his jutsu was fading in his right hand, Hinata wanted to take her chance to attack, but something held her back… something that she didn't know. It was her chance, while he was standing just a foot away from her. Why didn't she take it? Why couldn't she?

"Sasuke… Uchiha," she said in her soft voice, staring right into his face bravely.

His eyes widened at his name. _How does she know who I am? And why can't I move?_ He broke into a low, malicious snigger that sounded like "hn hn hn hn hn hn." Such a laugh put chills down Hinata's spine and then back up.

_W-what's so funny? _Hinata asked herself, terrified at what Sasuke could be capable of. She wanted desperately to scream, but all the sounds that came out of her mouth were short whimpers of fear.

"Who are you, anyway? You know me, but I don't know you," inquired Sasuke casually, although in a cruel tone. It was like he didn't even care to know, which he didn't most likely.

Hinata wasn't certain if she should answer his question. He was not good, and it made no sense to converse with your opponent. So, overwhelmed with indecision, Hinata's entire world went black as she hit the ground, releasing Sasuke from her unseen grip.

-X-

As the blackness around Hinata become light, Hinata groaned. _W-what happened?_ She speculated. _Oh, that's right!_

She sat up abruptly to find her wrists were tied tightly behind her back and her outstretched legs were pressed together as a rope was around her ankles too. A question made its way across her mind but before she could cogitate over the answer she heard a man's, or rather, a boy's voice.

"Do you faint often?" He was smirking, amused.

Diffidently, Hinata disregarded his query and inquired her own. "W-why didn't, um, you… k-kill m-m-me?" she stuttered.

_Phoenix Flower Jutsu,_ screamed Sasuke in his mind, his hand cupped around his lips as he spat out fist-sized fire. He was at the spot that Hinata had fainted, not finding the need to move her if she was dead.

But when he saw that his jutsu didn't hit her and instead bounced off of her blue aura he tried again. Once more it did not work, and so he tried Chidori, a powerful technique of his. When he wasn't successful with that Sasuke decided to take her hostage until he knew why and how to get passed whatever kept his power from hitting her. That was when he roped her wrists and ankles and carried her to the cave.

Sasuke's face became even more intense than it was before, if that was viable. He looked away, probably trying to cloak his humiliation and said, "I didn't feel like it."

Something made Hinata feel he was lying, but she wasn't in a situation where she could tell him that. She was sure saying something like that would anger him, and then maybe he _would_ kill her.

"W-what are you pl-planning on… um… d-doing with me?" she said as an alternative.

He looked back at her with eyes, she had to think, worse than her father's; they were just as critical and disapproving. Or, well, that's what she deciphered them as. "I don't know yet."

Silence befell them and Hinata thought, _I wonder why he really didn't kill me already, and what he will do with me._ After ten minutes or so, Hinata looked at Sasuke who was leaning against a wall a few feet away. "W-where are w-we?"

"We're in a cave."

_There were no caves near where I was; did he move me?_

As if reading her mind, Sasuke added, "I couldn't leave you where someone would find you, so I carried you about a mile from where you were."

_I guess he couldn't have just left me knowing he was--- W-wait!_ Hinata's face filled up with the color red from the tip of her hairline on her forehead to that sensitive chin of hers.

"Y-you c-carried me," she whispered, about to press her index fingers together as she looked down, only to find that she _couldn't!_

Smirking, Sasuke reminded her that he still didn't know who she was. "Not that I care," he added her, flicking his gaze away for a moment. She was still mortified that he'd carried her almost a whole mile while she was "out". Actually, Hinata didn't even hear him. She looked left and right, her cheeks burning. Impatience broke his blank emotion. "Hey, who the heck are you?"

That snapped Hinata out of her trance. "I… I was… in y-your class at t-the… um… ac-academy," she replied, somewhat perturbed.

"The academy?" scoffed Sasuke. _Tch, maybe she was one of the girls that wouldn't leave me alone,_ he deemed, trying not to recollect the days he was a weak little boy, a mere child.

Hinata nodded, explaining that they hadn't come in contact with each other at all. "W-well, none that I c-can r-re-remember, any… w-way," she stammered. Then her heart beat grew rapid suddenly and her entire body seared. _I… I…_ Hinata's head fell and her world became mute as darkness surrounded her. She was confounded when she realized she had been speaking to Sasuke like they were on a friendly level, rather than on a criminal-hostage one.

Sasuke, while Hinata was out, examined her as well as he could without touching her. He needed to kill her and stop wasting his precious time holding a conversation with the girl, although, he tried not to admit to himself, he did enjoy talking to a normal person. That is, if you can call a girl that faints every twenty minutes and has a stutter normal.

_She says we were in the academy together,_ thought Sasuke, _but I don't remember her. Maybe I would recall her if I knew her name, unless she's a fan girl. I never bothered to ---._

"N-na-naruto," Hinata whispered as she stirred in her sleep. Eventually she'd fallen on her side instead of sitting uncomfortably against the wall; not that the cold dirt ground was much better.

Sasuke clenched his fists at the name, putting on a furious expression and growling at no one. "That idiot…" he said through gritted teeth. _Why is she dreaming about __**him**__?_ He asked himself. Then, _why do I even __**care**__?_ His face softened at that moment; Sasuke looked at Hinata in a way he had never looked at a girl before. His eyes were sentimental; they held feelings, rather than nothing at all besides vacuity. "Wait, what am I thinking?" Sasuke said very ferociously aloud. "Not now; these are thoughts for someone _weak!_ I'm no weakling." His hands were still tightly gripped and his top set of teeth pressed against his bottom ones sorely, making him feel as if they were being pushed further up into his gums. But he didn't care much for pain; in fact, Uchiha Sasuke blocked out all pain, if he could. … _But she looks so peaceful while she sleeps… her stutter is ad --- Dang! What the heck is wrong with me?!_ Sasuke argued with himself. He sunk to the ground and pulled his knees up, putting his palms against each side of his head.

"N-no," murmured Hinata, opening her eyes so quickly she startled Sasuke on the inside, not on the outside, of course. Surprised herself, she gasped and tried to sit up, but ended up with a bump on the back of her head. She winced but made no sounds. Sasuke looked at her intently but she avoided his gaze which made her want to curl up into a little ball and tremble, sucking her thumb. For some long moments it was like that, until Hinata finally spoke up. "I-its, um, dark," she pointed out, tilting her head back to see that the small mouth to the cave shone no light. Sasuke said nothing in reply and Hinata wanted to know how long it had been since she had passed out for the second time.

"Hn," was his short answer. After Sasuke looked at her and thought what he'd thought, he resolved that it would be better if they didn't exchange many words. But even then he didn't feel… _safe._

Puzzled, Hinata kept her mouth shut as she might usually do. She was still a captive of his after all, and she supposed he probably killed before, or at least came close to doing it. She focused her thoughts on training and missions and such things, hopeful that that would push her fear and stupefaction aside.

_My radius for Byakugan is getting better every day; maybe I'll be able to surpass Neji soon enough… but I guess that isn't likely. I don't think I could be a worthy opponent for him just yet, but I would probably last a bit longer than the last time I went up against him, in the Preliminary Exams. I bet Naruto could beat Neji; well, I guess he did once already in the Chunnin Exams, but maybe he still can even though Neji's even stronger._

_I remember the mission we had to find the Bikochu Beetle to find Sa… Sasuke… a-and I used my Byakugan to see small insects. We found it but Naruto gave it another smell to follow…_

An idea popped into Hinata's head just that minute. _Maybe I could use my Byakugan to scout the area to see if anyone is near here! If there's water, too, then I could lead them here with it… O-oh, but, Sasuke would see me using Byakugan, wouldn't he? His Sharingan is activated as well._

For a few minutes Hinata began thinking up an escape plan, since nobody was evidently coming to her rescue yet. The girl was still supposed to be on her way to Sunagakure, so she wouldn't be missed until maybe two or three days from then. That was when her stomach lightly rumbled, telling her that she needed to eat. She blushed when Sasuke looked at her, lying flat on her back on the ground. Averting her gaze, Hinata thought, _I haven't eaten all day, have I?_

As she thought those words, those _wonderful_ words, a plan devised itself quickly into her mind. _That's it! …I hope…_

"U-um… is t-there a… um… a w-way I c-could, um, eat so-something?" she queried unsteadily. When she said that Sasuke realized he was ravenous also. But there served a problem with that. He couldn't loosen Hinata's ropes, and he _was not_ going to feed her himself. He couldn't let her starve either. That wasn't going to be the way he killed her.

How, though, could he eat when she could not? Sasuke didn't care much for being polite, but somehow he just wouldn't feel quite right eating in front of her when she'd just told him she needed to fill her stomach.

"U-um…" Hinata hesitated when Sasuke didn't respond.

"I'll untie you to eat, but if you try to escape I _will_ kill you," concluded Sasuke. There was something about his voice, low, deep, evil. It was difficult to describe it, but it was malicious and cold, just like his eyes. The darkness inside him wouldn't let him rest, either. Never would it let him think the thoughts of a normal shinobi; only those of Lord Orochimaru's, or any other iniquitous man.

"U-um, y-yes," Hinata told him softly, holding back the quivering that her voice would have been doing. Sasuke frightened her terribly, but he also made her feel… _warm_. It was somewhat hard to believe, with the icy look in his eyes and hearing the merciless tone in his voice.

_Now,_ Hinata thought, disappointed, _I can't do it. I was planning on taking a cup of water and using it to cut through this cord, after he has fallen asleep. Only now, I'm too afraid to do it. He swore he would take my life, and I won't take the chance to see if he was bluffing. _Sasuke assisted Hinata in sitting upward and, not wanting to squander the ropes, untied them and set them aside. He left her legs together since she wouldn't need them to eat. As soon as he did so, she brought her knees toward her body, somewhat of a protective state less degrading than the fetal position.

Taking off the pack on her back, Hinata pulled out a small cake and a green canteen of water. Before she began filling her famished stomach she thought of Sasuke, and offered him a cake and a drink. Of course, having such a vast amount of pride he declined, even though he really would have liked something. Also, he didn't really have much of a sweet tooth, anyway.

"I'm going to go grab something _real_ to eat," Sasuke announced, getting to his feet and warning her not to try anything that she would regret.

She nodded slightly but kept all concentrating on biting, chewing, and swallowing her meal. _If I ignore him, maybe he'll think me weak, scared, and I'll surprise him and escape… but I have so many questions I'd like to ask him. I want to know why he left Konoha; why he left Naruto to chase after him; why he did all that he did, especially hurting Naruto… _The Uchiha sauntered out of the cave, having to walk about twelve yards to the opening. Hinata decided this would be the best time to put her plan into action. Well, her altered plan. In truth, the girl had not expected him to let her hands free, but it would definitely buy her more time and she was grateful to that.

_His Sharingan,_ she thought, _is like my Byakugan, but it's also different. He isn't capable of seeing me escaping from the river, which is approximately half of a mile away from here. So, if I'm careful, I can get away without him finding me until it's too late. Right, I can do it!_

After activating her Byakugan to see how far Sasuke had gotten, Hinata let free her ankles and stood as quickly as she could. A little numb from not standing for so long, she wobbled a little but gained her balance before she fell. _Okay, I'm closer to Sunagakure Village, but it would help to lure him to the Leaf, wouldn't it? So then once he finds that I've gone, he'll follow my trail and end up at Konoha. But… what if he decides not to go in? I don't think I'm really worth the trouble, especially not to him…_

_But I've got to try anyway, for Naruto and all the others in the village! I'll lead him there if I can, and he'll be caught and all the trouble in the village will be over… I hope…_

* * *

A/n: Well, I think (regretfully) this story sounds a bit like Itachi's Mine ***** 's story, Teach Me, but it isn't exactly the same, I don't think. It's definitely a little different. So, I hope this is a good story. I've worked really hard on this, believe me. I'll be putting chapter two up tomorrow or the day after, depending on how many hits I get on this. It would be _great_ if you would send me a review, no matter how short. I get lots of hits, but no reviews…

Thanks for reading and, if you take the time, the review! It really does mean lots!

Oh, and, I need a better title. I'm open to suggestions.

**Disclaimer: I do not own ****Naruto****… **_how unfair is that?_


	2. A Failed Escape and a Rescue Team

Sunagakure Mission

_Angel of Anime_

**Chapter Two: A Failed Escape and a Rescue Team**

As the Hyuuga of the main branch family made her way out of the mouth of the cave, she watched ever so closely Sasuke. If she was caught trying to escape he would kill her, no doubt. Hinata wouldn't question him, not for anything. Sasuke, she believed, was capable of doing many things, even if it meant getting his hands a little red.

Gulping, the fifteen year old thought agitatedly, _Okay… I-I can do this. I _can! _… Oh, just don't fail, Hinata…_ She took one last look at the small rock shelter and then one last quick look at Sasuke before she concentrated her cautious eyes on where she was heading. But, there was a problem: Uchiha Sasuke was on his way back to the cave!

Mentally screaming, Hinata turned left, then right in alarm. _What do I do? Which way should I go? _She fretted. _If I go back to the cave and tie myself back up then he wouldn't know I tried to run away… but if I keep going there's too much of a chance that he'll recapture me and… and…_ She shook her head, nodding that thought off. _No, I have to be more like Naruto. I have to be strong, take chances. I'll do it!_ Hinata clenched her fists so tightly in determination that her sharp finger nails were pushed into her skin. Small trickles of thick red liquid rolled down her palm, but she didn't realize it just then. If she focused on anything else, well then she would lose all confidence she'd just mustered up. _Okay, just like Naruto!_

She leaped high into a tree and as promptly as her famished body would allow her the kunoichi was on her way back home. Hoping with all her might he wouldn't catch onto her trail so soon, Hinata saw that Sasuke had just found that she wasn't where she was supposed to be. She worried that the hostile traitor would find her as quickly as she'd fled, and so increased her speed to the maximum.

_It's getting dark; _she looked at the sky with fearful eyes. _I can't camp, but I'm so tired… and not to mention hungry; but I've got to keep going, or he'll catch up to me soon enough. I hope he doesn't see through my plan…_

_It's getting dark,_ thought Sasuke while fallowing the trail of blood, which came to be increasing instead of the opposite. _She's probably tired and hungry, but too smart to stop for a break. If I'm right, her plan is to lead me back to the village and have them attack me there. Tch, if that dang girl thinks I'd be stupid enough to fall for such a trick she's got another thing coming._

_But, dang! How could I have let her get away from me without even noticing?_ He complained to himself. When he looked at the ground a second or two later he smirked. _Good thing she's leaving me this trail… not that I need it or anything. It just makes things a whole lot dang easier._

Hinata was a half a mile ahead of him, but she didn't know that herself. In order to make her presence a little more difficult to detect, she had shut down her Byakugan. She had to fight her mind not to activate it again, though, to know exactly _how_ close her tracker was to her.

Releasing the grip she'd had until then, Hinata's index finger, on its own accord, moved slightly and she felt thing warm, even though it was near winter and the wind blew bitterly in her face. It was just on her hands that she felt the lukewarm temperature. Reluctant to see what it was, Hinata put a hand in front of her lavender eyes, which widened at the sight: her nails, not quite long but not bitten to its ends, were crimson. Four six-centimeter holes on both hands were oozing even more of the liquidly horror.

_D-did I…?_ Hinata had no time to contemplate over it, but her eyes still kept wide with shock, terror. Lacking the proper gauze at the time, she ripped off a part of her jacket as hastily as she could, trying not to slow her pace too much. That caused a slight shiver and chattering of teeth, and an unsteady wrap of her white sleeves.

_Where is that dang girl? Her darn blood stops here,_ demanded Sasuke 0.5 of a mile later. He wasn't getting any closer to Hinata, nor was Hinata getting any further from him. Both of them had been maintaining their precise speed and range; that was why Hinata was not still playing captive and Sasuke the holder.

Sasuke suddenly sped up, eager to get Hinata before she came into a mile's distance to Konoha. He had to be careful with this girl, even if she seemed pretty stupid, and fainted over very absurd things. In a matter of minutes, he could see Hinata's form; noticing this, the kunoichi glanced back once nervously and then continued desperately. She had to try, _had_ to try for Naruto's sake. If she couldn't do something so simple as to bring Sasuke to the village, then she definitely _did not_ deserve the boy she'd had a crush on for so long. However, exhaustion was beginning to overcome her, and her hand ached, as well as her head and legs. The cold weather was also catching up to her, and she saw each shallow breath coming out of her mouth.

Smirking, Sasuke thought, _almost got her._ He took one last leap and landed on Hinata. It wasn't a very graceful capture, but even so, he'd caught her. Falling on her back, Sasuke was on top of her. She struggled with all her might, only the Uchiha was just too strong for her to get away. It seemed that everything she tried was futile, and so the girl eventually gave up, at least for that moment. She _would not_ be slain by Uchiha Sasuke. She would not.

-X-

Two and a half days later in the Sand village, Temari reported to Gaara that the shinobi sent to their village should've arrived by that time, but hadn't. They'd received word from Konoha that she should arrive in three days time, so she began to wonder after there was no one. "Are you sure?"

"Of course," the blonde looked at the Kazekage, waiting for him to give her an order of what to do.

He responded, "We'll send word to Konoha, and they'll send ninja to search for her." It was a reasonable decision, a good one. There was no need to send shinobi of their own because they weren't informed of who they had sent.

-X-

"It seems that Hyuuga Hinata has not made her way to Suna yet," explained Lady Tsunade. She'd called Naruto, Sakura, and Neji to her office. The former members of Team 7 weren't needed for any other missions, and Guy, Lee, and Tenten were busy with one; so that was why she had called for them.

Sakura voiced, "But didn't she leave three days ago?" The green-eyed female stood between the other two shinobi, concerned for the shy heiress.

Tsunade nodded once. "But according to a message I just received she hasn't arrived yet. That's why I'm sending you three to search for her." Neji's Byakugan was definitely essential to this particular task, and Sakura's strength in case they'd run into any enemies. Naruto was basically free, thought if you thought really hard you could probably find a good reason for him to go besides just being a third person. "I'm assigning Neji team leader. Move out!"

"Yes ma'me!" Sakura replied before following an excited Naruto and solemn Neji out of the building.

-X-

It had been two and a half days since Hinata left for Suna. They've probably noticed that she hadn't gotten there when clearly she should have been there hours ago, _so they've probably already sent word to Konoha._ If that were true, then she hoped it'd be Naruto that came to find her, so that he'd find Sasuke too. And if that happened, then maybe the rogue ninja would go back to his home and forget about getting revenge for his clan, and make Naruto happy. That was certainly too much to ask for, though.

Sasuke hadn't left the cave they'd been in since she'd tried to escape. Despite her appearance and lack of confidence, the dark haired boy had to admit, his hostage proved to be somewhat intelligent. Or at least she wasn't an idiot like he had first assumed. So far the fair-eyed kunoichi made no moves to get away, which showed two possibilities: one, she was devising another plan. Or two, she was too afraid of what Sasuke might do to her if she did.

But, why hadn't he killed her yet? That question pounded inside her head several times before she finally gave up searching for that answer. She couldn't muster up enough courage to speak to the hard, cold Sasuke and kept her mouth shut most of the time she'd been trapped by him. The only time she _did_ say anything was to tell him that she had to… meet one of her basic needs outside. It was almost too embarrassing to say, and when she had to go late at night, she felt bad for waking him up because, she noted, he looked really peaceful while he slept; like it was the only time he enjoyed anything. Hinata hated to wake him up. But, to top it all off, he always stayed ten feet away from her; even thought she'd be behind a tree and he'd be turned around, she never felt like he wasn't peeking.

Also, when she ate, she would be allowed to have her hands untied, but Sasuke would always stare so intently at her when she did so; that always made her blush deeply. When she finished lunch that day, she got up enough courage to say, "Um, S… Sasuke, w-would you… that is, why did you l-leave the village?" Having spent more than forty-eight hours with the fair-skinned fifteen year old, the Sharingan user had gotten somewhat accustomed to the stammering and her difficulty in getting out her words. But however used to it he was, her flaws still irritated him.

Avoiding her question, he replied, "Why do you mumble and fumble over words?" His pitch was goaded but the thought he had earlier remained: her stutter _was_ adorable, as adorable as her soft voice and shaded cheeks were. But Sasuke wouldn't admit that even to himself; when it occasionally crossed his mind, he made sure to deny it.

"O-oh…" Hinata whispered, lowering her eyes. "I… I'm so-sorry if I w-was intruding, but…" If she mentioned the ninja on her mind, she was fearful that Sasuke would become irate. And underestimating an irate shinobi was not by any means a good idea.

He growled, turning his head to face the outside, "You're thinking of that dobe, Naruto, aren't you?" He recalled when she'd spoken his name in her sleep. She undoubtedly bore some connection to him. Sasuke made no threatening signs, remaining motionless, and Hinata didn't respond. After a long, long moment the Uchiha answered her previous query. "It was for power, strength. I have to do something that no one else can do."

Now Hinata was staring fully at the onyx-eyed boy, who hadn't moved since his last statement. All she could think was, _for power? That's why he left?_ Of course, it wasn't that she cared for him; it was Naruto that was on her mind. "You hurt him…" Her tone was low and all traces of shyness were replaced with anger and pain, for _him_, the host of the Kyuubi. "You hurt Naruto, and for what, power? Your best friend is desperately pursuing you, while you seem to hate him!"

"Naruto is a fool." His arm rested on his propped up knee as he stated the words calmly, but still with a certain edge. "He pursues me, wanting to 'save' me, while I pursue my brother's death." The last words had dryness in them that Hinata couldn't ignore. Each word the rogue ninja spoke brought down her confidence level, but even so, she would continue her rant to Sasuke no matter what; that was what she told herself anyway.

Raising her voice as much as she could, the innocent little Hinata cursed him. _"Bastard_!" Sasuke was surprised, internally, that she'd said that. He didn't know her, but what he did know didn't suggest at all that the kunoichi would say anything like that, so foul. But she did, and more. "Naruto really admires and looks up to you like an older brother, but you don't even care. He wants you back because he adores you and wants you to be happy. I don't understand why you don't want that. If Naruto felt that way about me, I---" Interrupted by Sasuke's bone-chilling laugh, Hinata was embarrassed as she realized what she was saying, and what she was going to say next. Glad she was stopped, she mumbled, "W-wha…" She wanted to ask what was so funny, but fear and shock had overcome her and she was speechless.

-X-

"I wonder what could've happened to Hinata, anyway," stated Sakura in thought. They'd all stopped to rest and have a quick bite; by now it was lunch time, a little past noon. She was sitting on a stump, nibbling on the first dango on her stick.

Naruto looked puzzled at the pink-haired kunoichi. "What do you mean?" he inquired, seeming agitated as they rested. He was standing up, his pack on his shoulders, and Neji was on his feet as well; though he didn't look as motivated as Naruto. The brunette _did_ care about what happened to Hinata, but unlike Naruto, did not allow his emotions to block his senses. Most of the time he didn't, that is.

"Well, she's not exactly the type to be beaten so easily. If she was attacked by someone, instead of being delayed by some sand storm, this person would've had to be a strong opponent. Hinata's no weakling, you know," Sakura explained to the blond, whose head was tilted in a confused manner.

Neji suddenly voiced, "We'll continue on now." Leaping into the nearest branch he activated his Byakugan. Naruto and Sakura followed suit.

-X-

"That dobe is such an idiot," Sasuke vaguely declared to the baffled kunoichi. He still wasn't looking at her, but she could just _feel_ his eyes on her figure. It felt like he was looking for something, but what? She couldn't ask. Her confidence rush had already passed by, much too far for her to call it back. Hinata was beginning to feel more uncomfortable than before, and wished she would be able to put one of the escape plans into motion; Sasuke simply wouldn't look away from her and give her the chance she needed. The only thing she could do was wait, but the thought of spending any more time with the _insane_ Uchiha was far too overwhelming.

_I wonder what he meant by that,_ speculated Hinata, trying to push the frightful scream that was building up in her throat. She couldn't figure why Sasuke just wouldn't kill her, no matter how much she contemplated over it. When she asked him before, he merely gave her the statement, '_I didn't feel like it_,' but how long couldn't he not _'feel like it'_? At this point, Hinata couldn't help but _want_ him to take her life, rob her of her breath, or make sure she'd never see another morning again! However, there was that regretful feeling she always had after seeing Naruto and not telling him that she really, really liked him. She couldn't get rid of that, and if she didn't, she wouldn't be able to truly pass on. Therefore, asking Sasuke to kill her wasn't an option; and also, he probably wouldn't do something like that because someone requested it. He wasn't that kind of person, she didn't think.

-X-

They'd been moving for an hour and a half now, until Neji, who was in the lead, suddenly halted. Before Naruto could interrogate him, and before Sakura could even guess why he stopped three branches ahead, he said, "She's there." His eyes were focused on a cave thirty or more yards away. It was easy enough for the Hyuuga to see, but the knuckle-head of the group impatiently held his hand over his forehead, a gesture to shade his blue eyes, and squinted.

"Huh? Are you sure? Where is she?" he rapidly probed.

Neji paid no attention to his foolish behavior and went to the grassy ground. "We'll rest before going," he informed them. Sakura didn't ask him why; she assumed there were a lot of enemies, so they had to be ready to face them all. Naruto, on the other hand…

"What? But why? If Hinata's right ahead of us, then we could go get her!" He swung his arms around rashly, defiantly, as he argued. Like Sakura, he'd jumped off the branch he was standing on and stood in front of the sixteen year old. Sakura punched him in the arm and sent him flying into a tree.

Ignoring Naruto's groaning, she said, "So how many are there?" She was referring to the shinobi by the cave, of course. Neji responded, saying that there was just one man. "Wait, only one? Then why are we waiting around here? I can handle one ninja!" She punched the air eagerly, but when Neji told her the identity of that one person, her enthusiasm and Naruto's ignorance fully disappeared.

"Sasuke's got Hinata?!" shouted the Genin. Neji nodded, his back to the two. A silent minute passed and Naruto grinned. "All right, now's my chance to get Sasuke back!" He was as excited as ever, telling himself that this time he wouldn't fail. It was only Sasuke, so that meant neither Orochimaru nor Kabuto were there. Things couldn't have been better for them! "_Let's go!"_

When he began running ahead, and no one else went after him, he queried, "Hey, hey, what's wrong? Don't you want to get Sasuke, Sakura?" Naruto didn't bother asking Neji because he already knew he probably didn't care. Finding Hinata was the objective, and to him, that was all that mattered. The boy learned that when they were given that mission in the Star village.

"Naruto…" Sakura sounded worried, and perhaps there was a hint of fear in her voice as well. She was remembering their first encounter with Sasuke, only months ago. He would've killed all of them if it weren't for Orochimaru stopping him, but that was only because they proved useful to them; they acted as Orochimaru's pawns as well. _'Eliminate two more Akatsuki members,'_ he had said. "Naruto, maybe we should let Neji go first."

"What are you talking about, Sakura? You want Sasuke back, too, don't you?" he burst.

She averted her eyes to the left. Neji was looking at her. "Well, of course I do, but… last time…" Blinking back tears, she didn't trust her voice, so she simply shook her head, biting her bottom lip. Naruto calmed himself.

"Sakura…" he said softly. Then, gritting his teeth and clenching his fists, he hollered, "I promised, I'll bring Sasuke back to the village no matter what!" Sakura gave a gentle smile and Neji's face hardened.

"It didn't appear as though he was going to kill her," he stated out of nowhere. "If we hurry, then he won't get the chance." The other two nodded determinedly.

"All right!" they exclaimed in unison.

* * *

A/n: I don't know about this chapter… do you like it? I hope so :) Well thanks for reading, and the review (if you review)!

Oh, and I know Hinata may be a little out of character, but she was bound to explode -or something- with Sasuke and all. Mhm, I hope she's okay...

**Disclaimer: I do not own ****Naruto**_… how unfair is that?_


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